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Eager to spend quality time in nature? After lots of research and personal experience, we have compiled a list of helpful camping tips to keep in mind now so that you can begin prepping for the summer.

First things first: Make sure you claim your temporary home in the wilderness. Use recreation.gov or reserveamerica.com to reserve a spot as soon as possible for the summer.

Tips of the Trade

*Many of these tips require everyday household items. While reading the list, make note of the items you'll need so that you can start putting them aside for your future trip.

Camping Coffee

Pour coffee grounds into a coffee filter.

Tie the filter closed with a piece of string into what will look like a makeshift tea bag.

Boil hot water and steep the coffee bag into the pot.

Enjoy your coffee in the great outdoors.

*Needed Materials: Coffee grounds. Coffee filters. String.

Easy-To-Make Fire Starter

Collect lint from your dryer machine and empty toilet paper rolls.

Next, stuff the lint into the toilet paper rolls.

Take this home-made tool camping and use it to start a quality fire.

Roast marshmallows, or simply enjoy the warmth.

*Needed Materials: Dryer machine lint. Empty toilet paper rolls.

Use A Pencil Sharpener

Useful for: starting fires and making skewers.

How to:

Find a twig and use a pencil sharpener to create a fine tip.

Use the shavings to start a fire, and use the stick as a skewer to cook hot dogs or marshmallows.

*Needed Materials: Pencil sharpener. Twig.

The Multi-functioning Water Jug

Take advantage of this awesome and easy-to-pack item. Here is a list of all the different ways in which packing a water jug could be helpful while camping:

As an ice bag. Freeze the water jug and place it in an ice chest with food items to keep them cold.

For drinking water. Once you're done with the ice, let it melt and drink up.

To make a lantern. Shine a flash light through the melted water and bam! Lantern.

To make a shovel.Once the bottle is empty, use a knife to cut off the top and use it to scoop up things.

*Needed Materials: Water Jug. Ice chest. Flash light. Knife.

Spice-Filled Straws

Useful for: bringing practical amounts of spices to the woods for savory cooking.

How to:

Get a plastic straw.

Burn one of its ends.

Pat the burnt end closed with a piece of cloth so that the melted plastic glues together.

Pour desired spices into the straw.

Burn the opposite end & repeat step 3.

Label the straw with its corresponding spice using a Sharpie.

Once you cut the end open to use for cooking, feel free to burn the end again to close back up.

*Needed Materials: Plastic straws. A lighter. Spices. A Sharpie.

Duct Tape Tip

Instead of bringing a whole roll of duct tape, wrap a few feet of it around a water bottle. Keep your water bottle on you to stay hydrated and just in case you need the tape. It can be used to:

Mend a tear in your tent or backpack.

Cover a blister: The compression will easy the pain and keep it from getting worse.

*Needed Materials: Duct tape. Water bottle.

Journal It

Take a few moments out in the wilderness to write down some of your thoughts. Writing in a journal is good for your emotional and physical health. There is increasing scientific evidence that shows how writing in a journal helps reduce stress and resolve conflicts with others. It's also a wonderful way to record the memories that you are making on your camping trip.